The Outlaws descend on Grace Road this evening for the first of their two T20 fixtures this week.

So far in the tournament, Notts’ away record is stronger than that at home, having won against Derbyshire earlier this month at the 3aaa County Ground.

For their opponents, Leicestershire Foxes, this fixture could halt the spiralling streak of losses that have plagued the team since mid-May. With only one win in five games its clear The Foxes will be scavenging for a victory.

Head-To-Head

In this year’s NatWest T20 Blast The Outlaws are yet to meet The Foxes but both teams have failed to find consistent form, meaning there’s all to play for on Thursday Night.

Whereas The Outlaws have stalled in the quarter finals of past T20 tournaments, The Foxes have failed to break out of the group stages in the past two years and remain in the shadow of their 2011 competition win.

Since 2007 The Foxes and The Outlaws have met 14 times but played only 10 games, with all four fixtures in both 2007 and 2011 being abandoned.

Of the 10 times they have met, The Outlaws record is stronger overall with 7 wins to Leicestershire’s 3.

Last Time

A sore memory for The Outlaws contingent, their last trip to Grace Road saw them defeated for the first time in the 2013 competition.

On Friday 12th July 2013 The Nottingham Outlaws took on the Leicester Foxes for the second time in two weeks. Having won their last game against The Foxes, Notts arrived with an unchanged team but new batting order. Patel and Read had climbed to third and sixth respectively but in losing the toss and batting first, they were under immediate pressure.

The opening partnership of Hales and Lumb generated 50 runs but both were dismissed for less than thirty. When Patel came in at three he was able to make 50 from 32 balls to earn his first half century of the tournament.

The Foxes bowling attack proved deadly however as Shivsinh Thakor claimed 3 wickets, in addition to the effort of wicketkeeper Nial O’Brien who took two vital catches to give Leicestershire a fighting chance.

In the 14th over The Outlaws had amassed 114 runs but after the loss of Patel they could only manage to add 44 runs to the total in the remaining 6 overs. James Taylor was unbeaten on 33 but with Read out for a duck, Hussey dismissed for 7 and Mullaney out on 16, his efforts weren’t enough to save the game.

The Foxes answered the early loss of Smith for 1 off Luke Fletcher’s bowling with Joshua Cobb striking 67 from 52 not out and needed just three other batsmen to guide them to a comfortable, 7 wicket victory.

T20 Stats

Highest Score

Leicestershire 205-2 (2009) Grace Road, Leicestershire

Notts 203-8 (2007) Trent Bridge

Lowest Score

Notts 96-all out (2012) Grace Road, Leicestershire

Highest Individual Score

Derbys 111 WJ Durston (2010) Trent Bridge

Notts 90* GP Swann (2009) County Ground, Derby

Best Bowling

Notts 19-4 S.J Mullaney (2012) Grace Road, Leicestershire

Leicestershire 13-5 A.B McDonald (2010) Trent Bridge

Record wicket partnerships

Notts  119 M.J. Wood & A.D. Brown (2009), Trent Bridge

Leicestershire 121 B.J. Hodge & J.W.A Taylor (2010), Grace Road, Leicestershire    

Milestones

Tom Wells of the Leicestershire Foxes currently has the most runs in this competition of either team with 140. His highest score so far is 51.

Teammate Scott Styris is closing in with 117 runs and a highest score of 63.

Meanwhile for the Outlaws, Samit Patel is in the lead with 123 runs and a highest score of 56 whilst Riki Wessels has 110 and will be looking to increase his highest score of 26.